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Jackson County declares local drought emergency and asks governor for state declaration
Summary
Jackson County commissioners unanimously declared a local drought emergency April 1, citing low reservoir and streamflow levels that threaten municipal systems, irrigators and livestock; the board asked the governor to declare a statewide drought and noted emergency water authorities that could follow.
Jackson County’s Board of Commissioners on April 1 unanimously declared a local drought state of emergency and directed staff to request that the governor declare a drought emergency for the county.
County Administrator Danny Jordan told the board that the District 13 Watermaster and the Oregon Water Resources Department find that extreme weather has reduced reservoir and streamflow levels, threatening municipal water systems, irrigators, vineyards and livestock. Jordan said the current elevation at Upper Klamath Lake is 4,142.61 feet, short of a water-rights call elevation of 4,143.00 feet, and that Fourmile Lake—historically diverted for about 6,000 acre‑feet annually—may produce roughly half that volume this season.
The board’s order, No. 78‑26, says the shortages put roughly 40,000 acres of irrigation‑district lands and about 170,000 acres of individually irrigated lands at risk and that extraordinary measures may be needed to protect people, livestock and the local economy. Commissioners approved the order on a motion by Commissioner Randy Sparacino,…
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